Ezekiel 35 -Judgment Against Edom (Esau)

 

Ezekiel 35 – Judgment Against Edom (Esau)

 

God announced blessing for Jacob, but He pronounced judgment on Edom the descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau. The Edomites were guilty of sins that are still practiced today.

 

Their grudge went all the way back to Genesis 27, and they would not forgive and forget.

 

When you hate others, you are envious of their blessings and angry when they succeed. The Edomites revealed their anger when they helped the Babylonians ravage Jerusalem (Obad. 10-14). If you are envious of others when they succeed and glad when they fall, then you may be carrying a grudge. The judgment you want to fall on your enemy may come around and fall on you.

 

The Edomites boasted of their great security in the rocks (Obad. 1-4), but God would bring them down in humiliation (Jer. 49). God still resists the proud, whether in nations or individuals, but gives grace to the humble (I Pet. 5:5).

 

The final straw against Edom took place when these relatives of the Israelites not only approved of the desolation inflicted on Judah by the Babylonians but rejoiced over their kinsman’s destruction and plotted to take control of the land and the resources. But the Lord made it clear that the land of Israel would belong to His people forever; once He returned the people to their homeland, He would make sure that the Edomites troubled them no more.

 

Edom represents the enemy of God in this world today, that enemy is going to rise against God in the last days under the Antichrist. God will judge the enemy. The people will be back in their land worshiping God and living in peace and blessing. What a glorious future is ahead for them!

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Ezekiel 34 - Shepherds of Israel

 

Ezekiel 34 – Shepherds of Israel

 

For many decades, the shepherds of Israel, the nation’s leaders, both spiritual and governmental had failed to lead the people into godly ways of living. Even worse, they did not model how to enjoy a growing relationship with the living God. Instead, they acted to enrich themselves at the expense of others. The Babylonian conquest occurred because they failed to carry out their God-given duties. The nation collapsed and the people were scattered because its leaders failed.

 

The Lord removed the flock of Israel from the care of the nation’s spiritual and governmental leaders by eliminating those leaders through the Babylonian attack. While it is a great privilege to lead God’s people, its a privilege that comes with enormous responsibility (James 3:1).

 

Through Ezekiel, the Lord gives another promise that He will one day search for, seek out, and gather the people of Israel from all the places He has scattered them and bring them back to the Promised Land, where He will care for them and make them prosper. He will do for them what their failed shepherds refused to do. This prophecy began to be fulfilled when the good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, was born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:6) and shepherds celebrated His arrival (Lue 2:8-14). As the Good Shepherd, Jesus ministered to the crowds, who were like sheep without a shepherd (Matt (:36).

 

Faithful shepherds of God’s flock pay special attention to the weak sheep among them and so take appropriate action to tend to their unique need. We are to “comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all” (I Thess. 5:14).

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

 

Ezekiel 32,33 Egypt Headed to Sheol

 

Ezekiel 32 – Egypt Headed to Sheol

 

The Egyptians worshiped both the lion and the crocodile, and the Old Pharaoh was muddying the water. God was basically telling the Pharaoh that He was going to pull him out and move him to a place where he will no longer live in a palace. He will find himself on the same level as his subjects.

 

Ezekiel compares Egypt to all the other proud nations that struck fear into the region’s population: Assyria, Elam, Meshach, and tubal Edom and the Sidonians. All of them had gone down to defeat and now lay in the pit, the place of the dead. (Isa. 18:6). Pharaoh will meet them there in Sheol. Jesus called it the place of torment for those who are lost.

 

God is the King and rules among the nations as He pleases. What He does has one grand purpose: that the nations may know He is the Lord. When nations and rulers start to think they are gods, God must remind them that He alone is the God of all earth. Nebuchadnezzar himself had to learn that lesson (Daniel 4).

 

Ezekiel 33 Ezekiel the Watchman

 

God had ordained Ezekiel to be a watchman, but now the people were to rodain their own watchman in each territory. When you see the sword coming, blow the trupet and warn the people; otherwise, their blood will be on your hands (Acts 20:26-27).

 

We must plea for repentance, for God wants each of us to have a broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:17). We should not judge God but allow Him to judge us. Heb. 10:11-18.

 

They did not take God’s Word seriously; if they had, they would have obeyed it (James 1:21-27)

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible and J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

 

Ezekiel 29-31- Prophecy Against Egypt

 

Ezekiel 29-31 – Prophecy Against Egypt

 

Egypt was a great nation, and it had not been destroyed. It had maintained its integrity down through the centuries. It was one of the most ancient nations. There was only one entrance, and that was through the Nile River valley.

 

Now God says that the Egyptians will go into captivity for forty years. Egypt had been a thorn in the flesh of Israel for years, yet Israel was constantly running to Egypt for help. Kings Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah all turned to Pharaoh Hophra when Jerusalem was besieged.

 

The king of Egypt thought he was a great monster; guarding his royal river; but God said he was only a weak reed in the river. God would capture the monster and show Pharaoh that He owned the Nile River and could do with it what He please. The Babylonians would come and plunder Egypt, and Pharaoh would not be able to stop them.

 

Egypt was destroyed seventeen years later as God had said it would be.

 

Ezekiel 30

 

God would break Pharaoh’s arm and not allow it to heal, but He would strengthen Nebuchadnezzar’s arms and give him victory over Egypt and her many allies. No more would God’s people turn to Egypt for help.

 

Ezekiel 31

 

The message was for Pharaoh, who thought his nation was indestructible. Assyria once had the same idea, but look what God did to her. God would rebuke Pharaoh’s pride, cut down his nation, and cast it into hell.

 

 

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

 

Ezekiel 26-28 Judgment Against Tyre

 

Ezekiel 26- 28 – Judgment Against Tyre.

 

Tyre was the capital of the great Phoenician nation which was famous for its seagoing traders. It was destroyed at the same time Jerusalem was destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar took Tyre.

 

The city of Tyre seemed impregnable, but Nebuchadnezzar would besiege it and Alexander the great would wipe it off the face of the earth. Tyre became a bare rock, a place only for drying fishing nets.

 

Ezekiel described Tyre as a beautiful and costly ship, loaded with riches and growing wealthy as it did business with all the nations. But the ship would be broken and would sink, and all the merchants would lament of the loss of their great wealth. What a rebuke to covetousness!

 

The King of Tyre thought he was God, and his heart was lifted with pride. Surely Satan was the cause of this (Gen. 3:5). In fact, God may have been addressing Satan, for the description surely fits. Pride lifted him up, but God cast him down. What a rebuke to his feeble attempt to take the place of God!

 

Despite the riches of Tyre and the vast knowledge its people had gained by trading with cultures all over the known world, Ezekiel sang a funeral dirge for it that both proclaimed and celebrated its rapid and catastrophic demise.

 

The time will come when God will execute judgments on all those around them (Israel) who despise them, bring back the scattered nation to the promised land, and cause the people to dwell securely and safely in the territory which God had promised to His people through Abraham.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

 

Ezekiel 25 - God's Judgment Begins with His People

 

Ezekiel 25 – God’s Judgment Begins with His People

 

If God’s people are judged for their sins, what happens to those who do not know the Lord. (I Pet. 4:17-18)?

 

The Jews had sinned against God’s law, but the gentile nations had sinned against God’s people.

 

The Ammonites rejoiced at the fall of Judah and the captivity of the people, so God promised to destroy them. Moab said that the Jews were like any other nation, which meant that Ammon had no reverence for Jehovah, He was just like the idols of the other nations (Psalm 1:15)!

 

The Edomites helped the Babylonians instead of assisting the Jews, who were their relatives (Ps. 137:7). The Philistines saw an opportunity to pay back an old debt and vent their hatred on God’s people.

 

Although Judah sinned, they were still the people of God. God will not defend our sins, but He will defend His people an allow no outsiders to touch us without His permission. God’s chastening is born out of His love, while man’s revenge is born out of hatred. That is why David prayed as he did in 2 Samuel 24:14.

 

God is tenderhearted. Like Jeremiah, the Lord is merciful and kind. He was not willing that any should perish so He died on the cross for us.

 

God is also holy; He is righteous, and He will judge. You will only go to heaven if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, who shed His blood and gave His life on the cross. Then you will have eternal like and will be covered with the righteousness of Christ, standing complete and acceptable in Him. If you reject His salvation, there is nothing left but judgment.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. Nelson’s Quick Reference Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

 

Ezekiel 24 - The Scum of the Earth

 

Ezekiel 24 – The Scum of the Earth

 

Ezekiel was far away in Babylon, yet he knew what was happening in Jerusalem (Amos 3:7). The parable of the pot revealed the city’s wickedness. As the fire of judgment got hotter, only the scum appeared, and then the pot and everything in it were destroyed. The pot is the city of Jerusalem; the citizens were in the pot; their sin is the scum that’s in the pot. Your sin and my sin are the scum of the earth. We are all in the same pot.  It was the 5^th day of the tenth month when Nebuchadnezzar was reported to have destroyed Jerusalem.

 

During his years of ministry, Ezekiel had paid a price to “act out” some of his sermons, but none was as costly as the death of his wife. God told Ezekiel that He was about to take the life of his beloved wife, but the prophet was not to mourn or show sorrow in any way. The life you live is the greatest sermon you can preach. The city of Jerusalem was the delight of the Jews, but she would be buried – and that was what the nation deserved. Ezekiel told the people in the morning that his wife would die, just as he had told them for years that their beloved city would be destroyed; in the evening, his words came true.

 

If the people wanted to mourn at all, they should have mourned over their sins and not over the loss of their city and temple. But it was too late. They should have heeded this advice, “seek the Lord while He may be found.” Isaiah 55:6.”

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

 

Ezekiel 22,23- The Bride of Jehovah

 

Ezekiel 22 – The Court, Furnace, Jungle and Wall

 

Ezekiel became a prosecuting attorney as he indicted Judah for her sins, proving that leaders and the common people alike were guilty of breaking the law of God.

 

Jerusalem would become like a furnace when the army of Babylon encamped around it. But there was no good metal left in the city; all was dross. The nation had been cheapened by sin.

 

The prophets were like lions and the princes like wolves, all fighting to get what they could from the people. Like animals, the priests did not make a difference between what was holy and what was unclean (Matt. 7:6).

 

With their false visions and messages, the prophets whitewashed the nation’s sins and covered its weaknesses. God is still looking for people who will not only build strong walls but become walls by standing in the gap in the hour of danger.

 

Ezekiel 23 – The Bride of Jehovah

 

Because the Jewish nation was wedded to Jehovah, idolatry was the same as infidelity. They were giving themselves to foreign gods and committing harlotry and adultery. That is why God brought judgment on His people.

 

The Samaritans had devised their own religion, but God dwelt in Judah because of His covenant with David. What they did in His temple grieved Him greatly (I Cor. 6:19-20). God judged Samaria when He permitted Assyria to take them captive, but Judah did not profit from that lesson. Judah persisted in sin, so God had to judge them.

 

When God judges’ sin in others, never say, “that will never happen to me! I can get away with my sin!” God waits for us to repent, and we must not try His patience. In the end, our sins punish us, and we learn anew that He is the Lord. God wants single-hearted devotion from His bride. (2 Cor. 11:1-4)

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

Ezekiel 20 & 21 - God is Long-Suffering

 

Ezekiel 20- God is Long-Suffering

 

In his message to the Jewish elders, Ezekiel reviewed the nation’s history, the wilderness journey, and the conquest of their land. He pointed out two facts: The nation was guilty of repeated rebellion against the Lord, and the Lord acted as He did for His name’s sake. He could have easily destroyed the nation, but what would the Gentiles have said about Israel’s God?

 

Repeated rebellion against God’s will is serious. The Lord is long-suffering, but we must never take this for granted. Eventually He must chasten His rebellious children for His name’s sake.  If we do not glorify Him by obeying His commandments, we must glorify Him by submitting to His chastening. (Heb. 12).

 

God chastens us that He might restore us, and there is always hope. His Word assures us that God is working for us and not against us.

 

Ezekiel 21- Babylon

 

Jeremiah called Babylon God’s battle-ax (Jer. 51:20-23), and Ezekiel called Babylon God’s sword. God pulled His sword out of the scabbard, prepared it for use, and then pointed it toward Jerusalem and Ammon. The Ammonites had united with Judah against Babylon but had escaped invasion. However, their judgment eventually came.

 

God uses unbelievers to accomplish His purposes and can even overrule their pagan methods of making decisions (Prov 16:33). God’s people did not obey the declared will of God, but the pagan nations obeyed God and did not know it!

 

The prophet’s responses to this message attracted the attention of the people, for he sighed and wailed.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah.

 

Ezekiel 19 - God Has the Last Word.

 

Ezekiel 19 – God Always Has The last Word.

 

Jeremiah was not the only prophet to write funeral dirges. Ezekiel wrote this one five years before Jerusalem fell. He used two familiar images of the nation in speaking about the fate of their kings.

 

The lion is the royal animal, and Ezekiel was speaking about the rulers of the land: Jehoahaz (Jer. 22:11-12), who died in Egypt; Zedekiah, who was blinded and taken to Babylon (Jer. 39). None of Judah’s sons succeeded in saving the land because they resisted the Word of God.

 

The vine; We have met this image of Israel several times already. The prophet had spoken about Zedekiah, but now he speaks to Zedekiah and tells him that the beautiful, luxuriant vine would be withered by the east wind, plucked up, and planted in Babylon. That would be the end of David’s line; there would be no strong branch out of which to make a scepter – until the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of David (Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:30-33)! Judah will supply the scepter (Gen. 49:8-10).

 

When it looks like man has done his worst and everything is at an end, remember that God always has the last word – and His “Last Word” is His Son, Jesus Christ (Heb 1:1-2).

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

J, Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Ezekiel 17 & 18 Allegories

 

Ezekiel 17 - Allegories

 

God used allegories to arouse interest and capture attention. Jesus used parables for the same purpose (matt. 13:10-17).

 

The great eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) came to Jerusalem (Lebanon) and took to Babylon the top branch of the cedar (King Jehoiachin). He left some of the seed (King Zedekiah), which grew into a low vine. Zedekiah made a covenant to be loyal to Babylon, but then he broke it and turned to Egypt for help. The king of Babylon will come back and destroy the lowly vine of Judah.

 

The Cedar represents the dynasty of David. One day God will take a lowly young twig from David’s line (Jesus Christ) and will establish His glorious kingdom (Isa. 11:1-9). But before He can enter that glory, He must suffer for the sins of the world.

“O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!”

 

Ezekiel 18 – Not of Fairness, but of Grace

 

Have you ever accused God of not being fair? The Jews were doing that and quoting a familiar proverb to argue their case (Jer. 31:29-30). If the fathers did the sinning, why should their children do the suffering? Is not God unjust when He punishes the children for the father’s sins?

 

But God does not do that, nor does He take pleasure in sending judgment. He would gladly forgive sinners if they would only repent. God judges individuals, regardless of what their fathers have done. You cannot claim your father’s righteousness, nor can you be punished for your father’s sin. You might be punished by your father’s sin, but that is another matter (Deut. 5:9).

 

The supreme need is for a “new heart and a new spirit,” which can only come through faith in Christ. “Turn and live” is God’s loving call to sinners today. It is a matter not of fairness but of grace.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.      J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

Ezekiel 15 & 16 - Unfruitfulness

 

Ezekiel 15 & 16 – Unfruitfulness

 

The vine was a familiar emblem of Israel (Psalm 80:8). Vines are good for only two things: bearing or burning. You do not build with wood from the vine because it does not lend itself to being cut and shaped. If the vine does not bear fruit, it is useless, and that was the condition of God’s people in Ezekiel’s day. If you share the life of God through faith in Jesus Christ, let that life reveal itself in the fruit you bear for His glory.

 

Israel was the wife of Jehovah only because of His grace and love. She was in wretched shape when He called her and saved her. He showered her with gifts, which she used to commit spiritual adultery as she worshiped the idols of other nations. She was both an adulterous wife who broke the marriage covenant and a harlot who paid others to sin with her. God judged Sodom and Israel, but that did not deter Judah; she went right on sinning. No wonder God became angry and judged the people.

 

In Romans 7:4, Paul applies these two images to believers: we are “married to another- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God”. Jesus Christ wants our single-hearted devotion as we share our love with Him (2 Cor. 11:2-3).

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah.

 

 

Ezekiel 13 & 14 - False Prophets

 

Ezekiel 13 – False Prophets

 

What if you were called to preach against the preachers! False prophets are dangerous because they invented their messages and did not get them from the mouth of God. Instead of being shepherds who faithfully led the flock, they were foxes living on refuse. Spiritually speaking, the false prophets were religious scavengers, living among the ruins they made themselves.

 

This was also Jeremiah’s word of warning (Jer. 6:14; 8:11), and yet the people rejected it. Even though he was running away from God, Jonah was able to sleep in a storm (Jon. 1:5). Having confidence in our feelings is not the same as having confidence in God.

 

No matter how strong the wall looked, it would not survive the storm. God wanted to wash things white (Isa.1:8), but the false prophets whitewashed things. The common people rejoiced at the comforting words of the false prophets, but the “sighers and criers” were saddened by them.

John asserted, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 4).

 

Ezekiel 14 – Judgment Inevitable

 

The prophet had seen idols in the temple in Jerusalem, but now he saw idols in the hearts of the elders in Babylon. God had disciplined those men by taking them from Judah to Babylon, and He had been merciful to them in sparing their lives; yet nothing brought them to repentance. They pretended to be spiritual by inquiring of Ezekiel, but God saw their hearts and told His servant the truth. (Heb. 4:13).

Judgment was inevitable: famine, hungry beasts, war, and pestilence (Rev. 6:1-8). Noah saved his family (Heb. 11:7), Daniel rescued his friends (Dan. 2), and Job prayed for his three friends and delivered them (Job 42:7-10); but nobody’s intercession would save Jerusalem or anybody in it. A person’s righteousness could save only their self; it could not save another.

Cherishing sin in the heart will lead to practicing sin in life; “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

Ezekiel 12- Unusual Means

 

Ezekiel 12 – Unusual Means

 

When people become spiritually blind and deaf, God uses unusual means to get His Word across to them. Ezekiel preached two more action sermons to warn them that judgment was at hand. The prophet lived the message he was declaring.

 

His actions in the morning portrayed the people wo were packing to go into captivity, while his actions in the evening portrayed the futile attempt of King Zedekiah to escape. God knew what would occur, and nobody could alter his plans.

 

Ezekiel’s actions at his meals portrayed the terror the people would experience despite their believing that the worst was past. The false prophets said that people like Ezekiel and Jeremiah were “doomsayers” and their dire predictions would not occur. But God’s Word never fails, and it is always fulfilled on time.

 

God does not ask you to do bizarre things as He did Ezekiel, but can others tell by your life-style that you believe Jesus is coming and that He will one day judge the world (2 Pet. 3:10-18)? Is your life an action sermon that catches the attention of people who are blind and deaf to God’s truth?

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

 

Ezekiel 10 & 11 Coals Brought Cleansing

 

Ezekiel 10 – Coals Brought Cleansing

 

If you focus on the sins of the land, you will become discouraged. Do as the prophet did: lift your eyes higher and get a new vision of the throne of God (Jer. 17:12).

 

Coals from the altar brought cleansing to Isaiah (Isaiah 6:6-7), but they brought judgment to Jerusalem. The altar is the place where sin is atoned for because sin is judged. Had the nation sought God’s mercy and obeyed His Word, the colas would have brought cleansing. Yet even during terrible judgment, God’s wheels were still turning, and His purposes being worked out in the world.

 

God will not share His glory with idols (Isa. 42:8); therefore, He had to abandon His house. His glory moved to the door of the East gate, poised to move again. If the nation would not glorify God in their obedience, they would glorify Him in judgment.

 

Ezekiel 11 – The Cauldron

 

The leaders in Jerusalem committed two errors. First, they rested on a false confidence that since the deportation had ended, nothing terrible could happen to them. The second error was that they were the “choice meat” and the people they had slain were only scraps. Pride and false confidence made them arrogant.

 

But God saw things differently. The slain people were “the choice meat”, and the leaders were the “scraps”. The evil men would try to flee the sword, but God would meet them at the border. They would almost make it! Then the city would be a caldron where God would pour out His anger.

 

The remnant might be taken from their city and temple, but they could not lose the presence of God. They would one day be regathered, renewed, and restored to their land. There is always hope. Judgment cannot fall if God’s glory dwells in the city, so the glory moved out to the Mount of Olives.

If in your character and conduct you major on the glory of God, you need not fear the judgment of God.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

Ezekiel 8 & 9 - God Will Judge This Evil World

 

Ezekiel 8 – God Will Judge This Evil World

 

The vision Ezekiel saw burdened him to pray and prepared him to preach the Word. God will one day judge our evil world. Knowing this, what does it motivate you to do?

 

What happened in the temple was indicative of what was happening in the nation: it was given over to the worship of idols. There was an image at the door; and there were idolatrous pictures in the inner chamber. Men and women worshiped idols openly, and others did it in the dark; but all were guilty. When sin comes in at the door of a person’s life, it eventually moves to the inner chamber and takes over. (Proverbs 4:23).

 

This sin brought violence to the land and removed God’s glory from His house. What a price to pay for sin!

 

Ezekiel 9 – The Glory of God Moved

 

The glory of God moved from the Holy of Holies and began to depart from the temple (I Sam. 4:19-22). Without the glory of God, the temple was just another building; and without the presence of God, we are just like other people (Ex. 33:12-16).

 

God’s judgment begins with His people (I Pet. 4:17), for greater privileges bring greater responsibilities. Either we judge our sins or God will judge them. (I Cor. 11:31).

 

Even in His wrath, God is merciful and saves a believing remnant, those who “sigh and cry” over the sins of God’s people. Are you among the “sighers and criers? Like Ezekiel, are you interceding and asking for mercy?

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary. J Vernon McGee Thru the Bible

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

 

Ezekiel 6-7 - od Spares a Remnant

 

Ezekiel 6 -7 – God Spares a Remnant

 

The desperately evil king Manasseh had adopted the wicked religious practices of the Canaanites and caused them to multiply throughout the nation of Judah (2 Kings 21:1-17), ignoring Moses’s declaration of what would happen to Israel if she forsook God in this way (Lev. 26:30). The mountains of Israel were where the idolatrous sites of worship were located.

 

Even in severe punishment for sin and rebellion, there is mercy. God spares a remnant, whom He will lead to repentance so that He may graciously fulfill His promises of blessing.

 

The images of judgment are harsh and frightening, but it is important to recognize that God only judges His rebellious people as their deeds deserve. They would reap the abominations they had sown (will be in your midst) and encounter the same violence they had committed against others.

 

God had long before declared, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh” (Gen. 6:3). It was now Ezekiel’s uncomfortable task to profess that the end of God’s patience has come; the Lord would execute His promised wrath. (Amos 8:2,10).

 

No longer would the people go about their business as usual. No longer could they do anything to stave off destruction – their judgment was already approaching from outside and resident within.

In times of relative affluence, silver and gold seem to provide nearly everything needed to live a good life. But when divine judgment falls, such commodities become worthless- like refuse thrown into the streets (Prov. 11:4).

Because Israel would not defile and remove the pagan altars and shrines in the land, God would use Babylon, the worst of the Gentiles – a nation even more wicked than Israel to do it and bring disaster on His people. The Babylonians would show no mercy. The chain that Ezekiel was told to make symbolized Israel’s upcoming captivity.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

Ezekiel 4-5 Bizarre Behavior

 

Ezekiel 4 - 5 Bizarre Behavior

 

Ezekiel began his public ministry with four action sermons that declared God’s judgment against Jerusalem. First, he “played war” to demonstrate the siege of the city. The iron plate represented the barrier between God and His people (Lam. 3:43-44). Nothing could stop Babylon from capturing the city.

 

Then, he was tied up and laid down for part of each day, 390 days on the left side and then 40 days on the right, to show how many years both Israel and Judah had sinned. How long-suffering God was during those years and how they broke His heart.

 

During those fourteen months and ten days, Ezekiel had to ration his food and water as people in Jerusalem would do. Though he was not serving as a priest, Ezekiel still obeyed the priestly code. No doubt the people watched him day after day and told others about his bizarre behavior, and that helped to spread the message.

 

His fourth sign involved shaving his head and face, a real sacrifice for a Jew. The hair represented the people in Jerusalem who faced three destinies: death by famine, death by the sword, and dispersion among the nations (Deut. 28:47-57). But a believing remnant would be protected and saved by the Lord.

 

Why was God angry with His people? Because they rebelled against His law, defiled His temple, and did more abominations than the heathen nations around them. They did not glorify the Lord but used all His blessings to promote their sin.

 

Three hundred and ninety years is a long time to continue in sin! We can only marvel at the long-suffering of the Lord. (2 Peter 3:1-9).

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

 

 

Ezekiel2,3 - Ezekiel's Vision

 

Ezekiel 2,3 – Ezekiel’s Vision

 

Ezekiel lived 100 miles from Jerusalem and carried out his ministry from there. He claimed that the Spirit carried him from Babylon to Jerusalem. After his vision came the voice, which was as it should be. God’s Word endures after the memory of visions fades. (2 Pet. 1:16-21).

 

He saw God’s glory and fell on his face in humble worship. Only a vision of the glorious throne of God can sustain you when the way grows difficult.

 

He stood on his feet, was filled with the Spirit, and listened to the Word of God. He fed on the Word, which gave him what he needed to speak God’s Word. In this, he was like Jeremiah, (Jer. 15:16), John (Rev.10:9), and Jesus (Matt. 4:4). Several times God tells him to “set his face” against something. Ezekiel depended on the hand of God to strengthen him. He sat with the people and identified with their pain, and he waited patiently for God’s word to come to him.

 

When God spoke, He made Ezekiel a watchman and told him to stay home and be quiet until he received the message to speak. His solitude and silence were signs to the people that God was angry with them for rejecting His Word.

 

Ezekiel knew that he had been called at a difficult time to do difficult work with a difficult people, and yet he obeyed the Lord. Little did he know the price he would have to pay to be a watchman, but he was faithful.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans for You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

 

 

Ezekiel 1 - A Prophet of the Lord

 

Ezekiel 1 – A Prophet of the Lord                                                                  

 

Ezekiel was a prophet of the Lord who came from a priestly background. His interest lies in priestly matters, in worship, in dietary laws, in matters of clean and unclean and in the fulfillment of the law. He was called to prophecy in the 5^th year of the Babylonian captivity at the age of thirty, and his career as a prophet lasted over two decades.

 

He was in captivity, but that didn’t keep the heavens from opening so that he could see the glory of God. (Rev. 1:9).

 

He saw God’s providence. The vision shows how God is working in His world. What looks like a storm to us is the tool of His providence. The wheels spinning within the wheels and the living creatures going back and forth like lightning. It is all too much for us to understand but not for God to control. Romans 8:28 still stands.

 

Far above the storm, the wheels, the living creatures, and the firmament is God’s throne ruling over all. It looked as though Nebuchadnezzar was ruling everything, but God was still on His throne. “The Lord sits as King forever” (Psalm 29:10). The next time you face a storm, look high enough to see God’s exalted throne.

 

Usually, you see the rainbow when the storm is over (Gen. 9:8-17), and only an arc at that. Ezekiel saw the rainbow during the storm, and it completely encircled the throne! A symbol of God’s grace, the rainbow assures us that the Lord is with us and will not forsake us, especially when we are going through a storm.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J.Vernon McGee Thru the Bible. Nelson’s Quick Reference

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

Lamentations 5 - God is Still on His Throne

 

Lamentations 5 – God is Still on His Throne

 

The people pray now to God and describe their reproach. They have lost their freedom, their joy, and their inheritance, and they are paying dearly just to stay alive – all because of the sins of their fathers. God knows your needs and will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:14-18)

 

They had lost their crown, but God was still on His throne. The defeat of Judah was not the victory of the false gods of Babylon! No matter how hopeless you feel, no matter how difficult the present situation may be, God is still ruling in this universe, and He will not forsake you.

 

God’s chastening is proof that He loves you and has not forsaken you (Heb. 12:5-11). One day, He will take you out of the furnace and give you a new start. You will be a new and better person if you let Him have His way.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary. J Vernon McGee Thru the Bible

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

 

Lamentations 4 - A Meditation

 

Lamentations 4 – A Meditation

 

Jeremiah is sitting among the ashes and is giving a doomsday message. We must remember that God never forgets to be merciful. In wartime, it is evident that many of our finest people will be taken to their grave. Jeremiah spoke of those people as gold vessels turned into earthen clays. We are all earthen vessels not to be thought of ourselves more highly as we should. This is a statement the Apostle Paul made.

 

When we think of that then we know we are merely clay vessels. It doesn’t matter what material we are made of it is how we use our vessels. Are we vessels for the master’s use of for our own use?

 

When Jesus gave the people wine to drink out of old pots it was an analogy that we are as old pots, and the wine represented the word of God.  If we fill ourselves up with the Word of God, then He can use us.

 

When God judged Jerusalem, it was worse than His judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Because they were destroyed by immorality while Jerusalem was destroyed because they worshiped other gods. It is far worse for someone to know the Word of God and do nothing about it than it is for a heathen.

 

Jeremiah was a prophet of God and preached to the people but they didn’t listen so God judged them for that. God has scattered the nation of Israel and has been scattered worldwide for nearly two thousand years. All they need to do is turn back to God and He will restore them to their land. If we find ourselves turning away from God and His Word, then be assured that God is waiting for you with open arms and will take you back to a better relationship than the one you had before.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Lamentations 3 - Our Emotions

 

Lamentations 3 – Our Emotions

 

Have you ever thought how strange emotions are? They can come and go. At times, we feel as though we can conquer the world; at other times, we feel as though the world has conquered us. How can we deal with these emotions? How can we maintain our faith in God despite these ups and downs?

 

God’s people can trust in Him for every part of their lives – even their emotions.

I Corinthians 10 :13 says, God knows our limits. He never gives us more than we – with His help- can handle.

No matter what happens today, tomorrow will be new. A fresh batch of God’s mercies awaits us. The best response when circumstances threaten to overwhelm us is to wait quietly for the Lord’s help.

 

One of the keys to maintaining a healthy emotional outlook is to leave the circumstances and challenges of everyday life in God’s hands and to trust Him to do what’s best. Jeremiah says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.”

 

In this world of direct access, instant credit and immediate gratification, the idea of waiting seems quaint, almost outdated. Yet quietly waiting for God’s blessings is a discipline that yields tremendous rewards. A person can see God work in their life and be recharged. Isaiah 40:31 says, “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.” A time of waiting can be a time of renewal.

 

Soldiers speak reverently of the relationships that are forged in the heat of battle. People who struggle together through the circumstances form a lifelong bond deeper and more intense than that of other relationships. This same kind of bond is created when we turn to God during the battle of our lives.

 

The next time you find yourself, knee deep in problems, don’t lose sight of the One standing right beside you. Jeremiah didn’t. He said, “I called on your name, O Lord, from the lowest pit.. you drew near.. and said, do not fear!”

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

 

Lamentations 2 - Can the Spirit of God Use Me?

 

Lamentations 2 – Can the Spirit of God Use Me?

 

Jerusalem was Israel’s capital city. Israel was God’s chosen nation.

 

When the people of Jerusalem turned their backs on God to pursue idols, their favored status did nothing to protect them from being punished. They had to endure God’s anger, just like anyone who disobeys His commands.

 

Unlike human anger, which is often the product of insecurity or a deficient temperament, God’s anger flows from His perfect justice and holiness. But after the judgment occurred, Jeremiah wrote “The Lord will not cast off forever, though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion.”

God took full responsibility for what Nebuchadnezzar did. He allowed him to destroy the city of Jerusalem. God used him just as He had used the Assyrians against them for their punishment.

 

Have you ever stopped to think why certain people cross your path? Do you wish that you had never met some people? Are there people in your life that you would call your enemy? Someone may have caused you sorrow, but it is all for His purpose. We need to learn to recognize the hand of God in our life.

Even the temple that God gave instructions to build, He became to hate because the Israelites did not use it as intended.

 

When we go to church, we need to ask God if this is something He takes delight in. Or is it hurting His cause? In other words, are we in the right frame of mind, or are we critical? Can the Spirit of God use me? If not, just going to church may not be pleasing God if we are not there to serve and obey Him.

 

Jeremiah was so involved in God’s work that it broke his heart when things did not go as it was supposed to. It even wrecked his health.

If we see something wrong in our church, it should mean more to us than criticism, it should bring sorrow to our heart enough to do something about it. It is easy to be harsh in our criticism when it means nothing at all to us. We must strive to have enough love and compassion for our church family and friends to keep everything pleasing in God’s sight.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans for You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.